Gas-burning heater and air circulating fan



y 1950 F. E. MODLIN GAS-BURNING HEATER AND AIR-CIRCULATING FAN Filed Nov. 8, 1944 ii mm'izzimdzm I BY I IN V EN TOR. WWW

A r roe/v5 Patented July 18, 1950 GAS -BURN-ING HEATER AND AIR CIRCULATING IT-AN Franklin E. Mod-lin, Eort Worth, T ex. assignor of one-third to .George A. Brightwell and onethird to K. Martin, both of Fort Worth,

"Tex.

ApplicationrNovemberS, 194.4, Serial No..5fi2,.453

8 Claims. (CI. 126-110) This invention relates to heaters and heat circulating means, and in such connection .it relates .more particularly .to a device .for generating heat .by the use of natural gas, artificial gas, kerosene, gasoline or the like.

'Ihe present invention :is ,acontinuationin part of application for Letters Patent for Heater and Heat Circulating Means, filed .August id, 11941, Ser. No. 406,801, (but which became abandoned.

The principal object of the inventionis to .produce a heater designed to provide combustion .of the-above products in such a manner that the maximum rof heat may be derived therefrom, and further that the heated :air may :be circulated through a room or confined space zfor heating purposes.

Another-:objectof the invention is to simplify its construction by providing a more restricted space forcom-bustion :of the (gases, and is provided with a. noiseles fan for quiet operation. The fan operates to pull the air into the heater where it is heated and to return the air to the heater by circulation :for reaheating, the air \being drawn directly through the flame of the burner, :expell'ed by dome :of the fan into the room and the air drawn in again at the bottom of the heater, causing a constant circulation. The combustion arrangement is such that the utmost heat is obtained and more b. t. u.-s produced with a less amount of gas.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a preferred means of carrying out the above objects; the drawing showing the design, construction and mode of operation of the heater, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view in elevation of a heater embodying the invention;

Figure :2 is a plan view of the burner, partly broken away, and removed from the 711821781X;

Figure v3 a "plan view of the "fan *for causing the air to *be circulated throughthe :heater and through the room.

In carrying out the "invention there is provided a-housing 1|, mounted on the supporting legs 2. the legs :be'ing suificientlyspaced to permit the air to enter 'atthe bottom of the heater. The legs are bolted as at 3 to the housing which isopen at the bottom as shown. Thetop of'the housing I- isalso open and has a top plate 4, this :plate being spaced from the housing 'by the supports :5 so as to permit the hot :air to escape :from the top of the heater.

A burner 6 of the spider type topermit theair to ,pass in between the fingers 1 has a central hub 18. The burner vise-supported on angle irons 9, bolted to the inner wall of .thehousing. .IPhe burner includes a neck .piece Ill for entrance of gas at the intake member II and is flared as shown for entrance also ofair for the purpose of combustion of the gases.

Inside the .housing is a conical shaped skirt L2, also openat the top, the lower portion of .the skirt .being supported by the angle irons .9, these members being passed through openings 13 in the skirt, with the neck of the .burner at .IU passing through an opening I4 in the wall .of the housing I.

An electric motor for generating air -.circulation and shown at 15 is mounted near the lower end of the housing and is supported on a strap 16, bolted to the walls of the housing through means of the lugs I].

'Thesmotor includes .a shaft t8, connected to a fan, .see also Figure 3, the upper end of theshaft being provided with bearings 19. Between the plate 4 .andthe top of .the housing and the upper end .of the skirt is a hub 20 provided with curved fingers 2i and .on these fingers are secured by bolts as shown the .fan blades 22. The peculiar form of the .ian thus makes for quieter operation of the heater when in operation.

.A tubular shafting .23 has its lower end seated in the opening 2 4 in the hub 43 and protects the shaft, and also strengthens its position.

Arranged on the tubular .shafting just above the burner is a baffle 25 which ensures retarding of .the flow .of .gasesso that the gases will become thoroughly mixed with air, where the gases then flow .to the top .of the reduced portion of the skirt and are thoroughly mixed before leaving the burner through the openings between the support 5.

In the burner neck, the fingers thereof i and the hub 8 are small openings for escape of gases into the heater, indicated at 21.

In the operation of the heater, 'the air in :the room or other .space to be heated is drawn in at the bottom of the housing and between the legs 2, and passes in between the fingers of the spider form of burner, thus passing through the flame area of the burner. The flame projecting against the baffle 2.5 retard the'passage of the heat generated by the gas ,sufiiciently to momentarily-confine the heated :air and fumes within the space 0, where complete combustion takes place. The heated air then flows around and oar-er the edges of the baffle .25 and thence upwardly and within the upper part of thesk-irt and thence outwardly as described. In practical 1 dembnstration the heater thus provides a con-- stant circulation of the air within the entire room, drawing in the cooler air at the bottom of the housing and continuously circulating the same through the room. The heater is regulated by the extent or amount of gas allowed to be consumed by controlling the flame of the burner.

While the disclosure presents a practical work,- ing embodiment of a heater constructed in accordance with the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of modifications, alterations, and changes, in keeping with the inventive thought and which may be said to come within the scope and meaning of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heater of the character described comprising an upright cylindrical outer casing open at top and bottom to permit free circulation therethrough, an upwardly and inwardly taperlng conical skirt member concentrically mounted within'said casing but spaced therefrom, a plate spaced above said casing and supported thereon, a burner mounted within the lower portion of said conical skirt member, an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical baiiie member supported within said skirt above said burner in spaced relation thereto, and with its periphery spaced from the wall of the skirt member, a centrifugal.

fan housed in the space between the top. of the casing and said plate, a fan motor mounted below the burner, and a fan shaft driven by said motor, said shaft being concentric with the skirt member and extending through the centers of said burner and of said conical baffle, whereby hot gases from the burner are deflected away from said shaft.

2. A heater of the character described comprising an upright cylindrical outer casing open at top and bottom to permit free circulation therethrough, an upwardly and inwardly tapering conical skirt member concentrically mounted within said casing but spaced therefrom, a plate spaced above said casing and supported thereon, a burner mounted within the lower portion of said conical skirt member, an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical bafile member supported within said skirt above said burner in spaced relation thereto, and with its peripher spaced from the wall of the skirt member, a centrifugal fan housed in the space between the top of the casing and said plate, the blades, of said fan extending laterally beyond the limits of the reduced upper end of said skirt member, a fan motor mounted below the burner, and a fan shaft driven by said motor, said shaft being concentric with the skirt member and extending through the centers of said burner and of said conical baflle, whereby hot gases from the burner are deflected away from said shaft.

3. A heater of the character described comprising an upright cylindrical outer casing open at top and bottom to permit free circulation therethrough, an upwardly and inwardly tapering conical skirtmember concentrically mounted within said casing but spaced therefrom, a plate spaced above said casing and supported thereon, a burner mounted within the lower portion of said conical skirt member, an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical bafile member supported within said skirt above said burner in spaced relation thereto, and with its periphery spaced from the wall of the skirt member, a centrifugal fan housed in the space between the top of the casing and said plate, said fan having a drive shaft concentric with said casing and extending the full length of said skirt and through the centers of said conical baflie member and of said burner, whereby hot gases from the burner are deflected away from said shaft by said baffle.

4. A heater of the character described comprising an upright cylindrical outer casing open at top and bottom to permit free circulation therethrough, an upwardly and inwardly tapering conical skirt member concentrically mounted within said casing but spaced therefrom, a plate spaced above said casing and supported thereon, a burner mounted within the lower portion of said conical skirt member, an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical baffle member supported within said skirt above said burner in spaced relation thereto, and with its periphery spaced from the wall of the skirt member, a centrifugal fan housed in the space between the top of the casing and said plate, said fan having a drive shaft concentric with said casing, and a tubular housing for said shaft, supported by said burner and supporting the conical baiile.

5. A heater of the character described comprising an upright cylindrical outer casing open at top and bottom to permit free circulation therethrough, an upwardly and inwardly tapering conical skirt member concentrically mounted within said casing but spaced therefrom, a plate spaced above said casing and supported thereon, a burner mounted within the lower portion of said conical skirt member, an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical baflle member supported within said skirt above said burner in spaced relation thereto, and with its periphery spaced from the wall of the skirt member, a centrifugal fan housed in the space between the top of the casing and said plate, said fan having a drive shaft concentric with said casing, and an electric motor housed within said casing below said burner and connected to the fan shaft for driving the same, said shaft extending through the centers of said burner and of said baffle, whereby hot gases are deflected away from said shaft by said baffle.

6. A heater of the character described comprising a housing open at the top and bottom and mounted upon spaced legs, a plate spaced from the top of the housing and supported by spaced members which connect the plate with the upper end of the housing, a fan arranged in the space between the plate and the upper ed of the housing, an electric motor having a shaft extending axially through the housing and connected with the fan to rotate the same, a skirt member supported within the housing, concentric with said housing, communicating with said fan, and open at the'top and bottom, a burner skirt member to permit gases to fiow to the upperend of said skirt member, said bafile being mounted just abovesaid burner. 8, A room heater of the character described comprising a housing open at the top and bottom for passage of gases and air therethrough, an"

upwardly and inwardly tapering conical skirt member within the housing open at top and bottom, a burner inside the conical skirt member for generating heat, means including a fan,

for circulating the heat through the heater and room and for returning the air again to the heater, said fan having a shaft extending axially through the skirt member, an electric motor for revolving the fan, and an upwardly and outwardly inclined conical bafile within said skirt member surrounding said shaft and supported upon the burner, said baffle serving to momentarily retard the gases and air in bringing about complete combustion and to direct the hot gases away from said shaft, the bafile being spaced from the interior of the skirt to permit passage of the gases to the top of the heater, both said burner and said baffle being enclosed in the enlarged lower end of the conical skirt member.

FRANKLIN E. MODLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Potter Jan. 2, 1894 Nyberg Oct. 20, 1896 Porter Apr. 11, 1899 Taylor Aug. 20, 1907 Hossack Dec. 8, 1908 Lewis Dec. 8, 1908 Wishart Dec. 15, 1914 Campbell July 3, 1917 Beman Sept. 2, 1919 Leistmann July 13, 1920 Sharp Feb. 7, 1922 Houghtby June 12, 1928 Gehnrich Jan. 5, 1937 Landis 1 Sept. 10, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Feb. 28, 1938 

